Method and apparatus for operating oil-wells



M. w. QUICK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING OIL WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.25, I918, RENEWED JULY 15 1920. 1,369,049.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Elvwamtoz fiozll (Q M M. W. QUICK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING OIL WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.25, I918. RENEWED/JULY 15, 1920.

1,369,049, Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

' '2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/6 r if /7 43 I w Afl 23% 36 F E a, =1 26 awwmbo z- QMZA mZm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILES W. QUICK, OF TITUSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOI) AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING OIL-FEEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 192 1.

Application filed March 25, 1918, Serial No. 224,478. Renewed July 15, 1920. Serial No. 396,591.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, MILES W. QUICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Titusville in the county of Crawford and State of lennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Operating Oil-Wells, of

, whichthe following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to methods and apparatuses for operating oil producing wells as will be hereinafter fully described and I pointed out in the claims.

The method at present employed in recovering the oil from earth formations through penetrating wells involves a releaseof the pressures of the volatile vapors in the well so as to dissipate the energies which should be utilized as the expansive force for maintaining the production of the well.

I propose through the general well-operating method hereinafter illustrated and described to accomplish the expulsion of elastic earth-saturating fluids during the limited periods in which their innate energies are being released with maximum degrees of expansive force and the exertion .of negligible refrigerating influences on unexpelled saturations with the idea of approximating a maximumly eflicient expansive displacement of such fluids.

In carrying out my invention I preferably prevent to a large extent the separation of the. gasolene vapors from the oils in the well and consequently increase the production of gasolene from the oils expelled.

It will be understood the expulsive energy of fluid hydrocarbons must be obtained from the adjacent earth formations. It is my purpose to conserve this energy and to utilize it in the most efficient manner for the expulsion of said fluids.

In carrying out my invention I preferably interpose a resistance to the escape of vapors from the well so as to maintain a tension on the vapors in the earth saturations at all times. I periodically release this resistance so as to vary this tension and induce a flow toward the penetrating well. It will be understood that ifthe well is entirely closed and the vapors confined that the tension on said vapors will reach anultimate tension tension when the resistance to the escape of vapors is reduced to less than fifty per cent. of the ultimate tension. Givin an example, assuming the ultimate tension to be one hundred pounds,'I would preferto periodically accumulate a maximum tension of above fifty pounds, as for instance, seventyfive pounds and to confine the variation to less than fifty per cent.- of the ultimate tension, or with the ultimatetension assumed to less than fifty pounds, so that the maxi mum range of variation under these conditions would be from seventy-five to twentyfive pounds. Preferably I. maintain both the maximum and the minimum tensions nearer the ultimate than zero tension. In

the example assumed of one hundred pounds ultimate tensionI would prefer to maintain a maximum tension approximating the ultimate tension and a minimum tension of about thirty per cent. below this, or seventy pounds. One reason for confining thevariation within these limits and pressures is to- Fig. 2 a central section of an automatic I resistance interposing and releasing device. Fig. 3 a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. -1 marks the well, 2 the saturated earth formation, 3 a casing extending below water ,sources in gas wells, below gas-bearing formations in oil Wells, and serving as a reservoir and conduit of vapors to the surface, 4 a pump, 5 a tubin extending from the pump to the top of t e well, 6 a sucker rod, 7 a pump jack, 8 a cable for operating the pump and jack, 9 a discharge from the tubmg, 10 a casing head, 11 a discharge from the casing head, 12 a resistance interposing and releasing device and 13 a valve at the discharge side of the resistance interposing device. These parts, with the exception of the resistance interposing device are of any ordinary construction used in oil wells.

The resistance interposing device 12 comprises the body l i, diaphragm l5 dividing and the valve 19 is opened. As the piston .pansion chamber 21*. ranged in the walls of the cylinder 23 and the body into the inlet side 16 and discharge end 17. ,A valve opening surrounded by a valve seat 18 is arranged in the diaphragm and a valve disk 19 operates on said seat. A stem 20 extends from the valve disk through a piston 21, the stem being secured in the piston by a nut22. The piston operates in a cylinder 23. The piston has a central expansion chamber 21. The stem 20 is provided with a longitudinal passage 24 which leads from a radial passage 25 in the valve disk, the passage 25 being opened and closed by the open ng andclosing of the valve. The passage 2 1 leads to the radial passages 26 which open into the ex- A bypass 27 is aris adapted to carry the fluid delivered to the expansion chamber past the end of the piston 21 when ithas been moved to its lower position opening the valve disk 19.

In order to control the interval of time necessary to reduce the difference in pressures on the two ends of the piston 21 I provide the needle valve 28 by means of which the size of the passage 24 may be adjusted as desired.

A stem 29 extends from the opposite side of the valve disk from the stem 20, and an abutment in the form of a nut is provided on said stem. Anut 30 rests on a spring 31. The sprin is preferably made up as shown: A series 0% spring elements 32 have the outer ends of their arms resting on division rings .33, the lower of said rings resting on a shoulder 3st in a housing 34*. Division rings 35 are arranged between the springs adjacent to the stem 29 and communicate to each of the spring elements 32 the movement of the nut 30. In this way each of the elements 32 is flexed with a movement of the stem 29. Where greater tension, is desired a greater number of elements 32 are interposed thus stiffening the spring, and where less tension is desired some of these elements are removed. The spring pressure may also be adjusted by means of the nut 30.

The operation of the device so far as described is as follows: It will be noted that the area of the piston 21 is greater than the area of the bottom of the valve disk 19, and as these two surfaces are exposed to the same elastic pressure there is a preponderance of downward force by reason of the greater area of the piston. When the pressure reaches the desired predetermined maximum this preponderance is effective in overcoming the resistance of the spring 31 moves downwardly it uncovers the bypass 27 permitting the passage of fluid by way of the passages 25, 24 and 26 and bypass 27 to the opposite end of the piston 21. As soon as the pressure on the lower end of the piston has reached a degree approxithe expulsion of fluids from earth forma- -piston when the valve is 1 ,seepae mating the pressure at the inlet side 16 the effective pressure on the piston is so reduced that the spring closes the valve. The interval of time necessary to produce this operation is controlled by the size of the communicating passages, and this can be adjust ed by the needle valve 28 so that any period of exhaust through the resistance interposing device may be had that will accomplish the most eflicient results. This will depend upon the conditions within the well, and the capacity of the discharge passages to ex haust the vapors during the period the valve is opened. In this way the resistance to tion can be reduced to the point that taking into consideration the lowering of temperature will release the maximum expansiveexpulsive forces of the fluids acted upon.

In operating wells penetrating formations saturated with either high orlow gravity fluid aggregations in normal earth tempera ture" states, maximum degrees. of expansiveexpulsive-force are available for release, and the shorter the time-periods and the lesser the attenuation of products during their ex pulsion, the greater the expansive displacement per unit of expended energy, the lesser the volumes of heat transformed into energy, and the derivation of heat from unexpelled residuals. An important result possible of realization by the operation of wells by the method herein disclosed, therefore,

is the provision of means for the conservation of the energies of unexpelled saturatihg volumes, and maintaining them in states available for release with maximum degrees of expulsive efliciency. Preferably as before stated, the reduction in pressure is such as to permit the expansion of only what is ordi- 1 narily considered the noncon'densable gases, thus retaining the gasolene in more or less liquid form with the oils so that such gasolene may be readily separated from such oils after their expulsion from the well.

In order to vent the chamber 21 I provide the port 36 which, is uncovered by the closed. This port I leads to a pipe 37 connected withthe discharge end 17. I preferably provide a check 38 in the pipe to prevent back-flow.

In order to vent the end of the cylinder 23 I provide a passage 39. The capacity/ of this passage is controlled by a needle valve 49. It will be understood that this operates on a seat 41. It will be observed that the leather covers the.joint formed by the metallic surfaces of the valve disk and valve seat. I also prefer to provide the cyl-. inder 23 with a flange 4,2 which is secured to a face 43 on the body 14 by screws H.

I provide the gasket 45 in the joint thus valve is closed.

I also preferably provide a back-pressure neutralizing piston 46 which is secured to the'stem 29, and operates in a cylinder 47 communicating with the discharge end 17 of the device. This piston 46 is preferably .ofthe same area as the upper side of'the valve disk so that the tendencyto move the valve by reason of the pressures in the dischar e side of the device is neutralized.

hat I claim as new is g 1. The method of operating oil' wells which consists in interposing resistance to the escape of vapors and varying said resistance by alternately increasing and reducing the same, thereby accumulating a maximum tension in the well nearer the ultimate tension of the vapors of said well than zero tension, and the .variation having a range of less than fifty per cent. of the ultimate tension of the vapors in the well.

2. The method of operating oil wells which consists ininterposing a resistance to the escape of flu1ds,thereby maintalning a tension on. the fluids nearer the ultimate than zero tension, and varying the resistance by alternately increasing and reducing the resistance.

3. The method of operating .oil wells which consists in interposing a resistanceto the escape of vapors therefrom, varying the resistance by alternately increasing and reducing the same, and limiting the reduction in resistance to a point to maintain the well pressure above the fully released pressure of the well.

4c. The method of operating oil wells which consists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors therefrom, varying the resistance byalternately increasing and reducing the same, and limiting the variation in pressure to less than fifty per cent. "of the maximum pressure. I

5. The method of operating oil wells which consists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors and varying the resistance by alternately increasing and ,reducing the resistance, the period of reduction being time controlled.

6. The -method of operating oil wells which consists ininterposing a resistance to the escape of vapors, while varying the resistance by alternately increasmg and reducing the same and vproportioning the variations with relation to the maximum 'expan sive explusive force incident to the available heat energies. g

7. The method of operating oil' wells which consists in. interposing such a resistance to the escape of vapors, while varying the resistance by alternately increasing and reducing the same to confine the vaporization to the more volatile constituents of the oil, and proportioning the variations with relation to the maximum expansive expulsive force for the expulsion of products from the penetrated oil bearing formations incident to the available heat energies.

8. The method of operating oil .wells which consists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors, varying the resistanceby alternately increasing and reducing the same and controlling the variation as to time with relation to the maximum expansive expulsive' energies incident to the constituents of the earth saturations and their maximum tension. r I

9. The method of operating oil wells Which consists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors, varying the resistance by alternately increasing and reducing the same and controlling the variation as to range with relation to the maximum expansive expulsive energies acting with said vapors and incident to the constituents of .the earth saturations and their maximum tension. y

-10. The method of operating oil wells whichconsists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors, varying the resistance of the earth saturations and their maximum tension.

- 11. The method of operating" 011 wells which consists in removing the accumulated oil from the well, interposing a reslstance to the escape of vapors from the well and varying the resistance by increasing and reducing the same, said variations having a different frequency than said oil removals.

12. The method of operating oil wells which consists in removing the accumulated oil therefrom at intervals, the frequency of whichis determined by the accumulation of oil, interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors from the well, and varying the resistance-by increasing and reducing the same at intervals determined by the vapors in the well.

' 13. The method of operating oil wells which consists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors from the well, thereby maintaining a tension on the flu dsin sald well and permittin the vaporizatlon of only the more volatile of said fluids, and periodically varying said resistance to induce a flow of oil from the saturated earth formations toward the Well.

14. The method of operating oil Wells which consists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors from the Well, thereby maintaining a tension of the fluids in said well. and preventing the vaporization of the gasolene constituents of the oil, and periodically varying said resistance to induce aflow of oil from the saturated earth formations toward thewell.

15. The method of operating oil Wells which consists in interposing a resistance to the escape of vapors from the Well, thereby maintaining a tension on the fluidsin said of oil from the saturated earthformationsZO toward the Well, and removing the oilvvith .its gasolene constituents from the well.

.16. In an apparatus for operating oil Wells, the combination of means for confining the expansive fluids in the Well; and 25 devices acting With said means and operating periodically and to a pre-determined extent as to time to release the tension of said fluids.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 30 m hand.

y MILES W, QUICK. 

